Mississippi Gov. and Republican Governors Association Chairman Haley Barbour kicked off a five day 13 state swing in support of GOP gubernatorial candidates.

Tuesday also found former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in Iowa, where the 2008 GOP presidential candidate made three stops across the state in behalf of Republican candidates on the ballot next week. Romney's finishing up a tour of 25 states before Election Day.FULL POST

Charles Town, WV (CNN) - As he stumps for a string of Republicans in increasingly bitter races, Sen. John McCain warned candidates against overconfidence and defended recent searing attacks on his Democratic colleagues.

"These are harsh times," he said, in response to a reporter's question about his criticism of Sen. Barbara Boxer and a conference call in which he slammed Sen. Patty Murray over the use of earmarks.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - President Obama filled out his absentee ballot for the midterm election in Illinois from the White House West Wing, according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Gibbs said he voted for Democratic candidate Alexi Giannoulias, who is in a tough race against Republican Mark Kirk for the president's former Senate seat. He said the president also voted for Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn who is up for re-election.FULL POST

(CNN) - In a last-minute add to his schedule, President Obama has decided to campaign at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on Friday for freshman Rep. Tom Perriello, one of the most vulnerable House Democrats in the nation, according to two Democratic officials.

Perriello has become a hero to some on the left for voting in favor of much of Obama's agenda - including the trifecta of the stimulus, health care reform, and cap-and-trade energy legislation - despite representing the heavily conservative Fifth Congressional District in Virginia.FULL POST

(CNN) - In a year when Democrats are widely considered politically handicapped, openly gay House candidate David Cicilline has bucked the trend in his race to represent Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District.

Cicilline, the mayor of Providence, is up by double digits in the polls, holds a fundraising advantage against his competitor, Republican John Loughlin II, and has received a slew of endorsements.FULL STORY

New York (CNNMoney.com) - Who says there's no bipartisanship? Democrats and Republicans running for Congress are finding every way possible to assure voters they will keep Americans' taxes low forever.

But those will be hard promises to keep after the economy recovers. Tax experts almost uniformly say the next Congress should rethink the more than 200 tax breaks in the federal code that cost more than $1 trillion a year. And, yes, that includes even the really, really popular ones.FULL STORY

(CNN) - Seven days until the midterm elections and Sen. John McCain is not in his home state of Arizona.

While the four-term Republican senator is up for re-election next week, McCain's in West Virginia Tuesday, helping out businessman John Raese, the GOP's Senate nominee in the state, who's battling Gov. Joe Manchin for an open seat that's been in Democratic party hands for over half a century.FULL POST